Lifting arrangement

ABSTRACT

A jacking device for a horizontal rotor shaft that supports the rotor of a rotary regenerative air preheater. Inasmuch as the rotor of a rotary regenerative air preheater comprises an extremely heavy mass of heat absorbent material that is completely surrounded by a housing and support structure, it is difficult to find suitable access to the rotor whereby it may be jacked within the housing. According to this invention the jacking device is incorporated within the rotor support structure whereby it is continuously available at all times and located at the optimum position for maximum effectiveness.

United States Patent [191 Finnemore 11] 3,871,442 Mar. 18, 1975 LIFTING ARRANGEMENT [75] lnventor; Harlan E. Finnemore, Wellsville,

[2| App]. No.: 339,244

[52] US. Cl 165/8, l65/l0, 308/35 [51] Int. Cl. F28d 19/00 [58] Field of Search 165/8, 10; 308/35 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1956 Winblepleck 165/5 X 7/1965 Brunell et a1. 165/8 X Primary E.rari1iner-Albert W. Davis, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmWayne H. Lang [57] ABSTRACT Y A jacking device for a horizontal rotor shaft that supports the rotor of a rotary regenerative air preheater. Inasmuch as the rotor of a rotary regenerative air preheater comprises an extremely heavy mass of heat absorbent material that is completely surrounded by a housing and support structure, it is difficult to find suitable access to the rotor whereby it may be jacked within the housing. According to this invention the jacking device is incorporated within the rotor support structure whereby it is continuously available at all times and located at the optimum position for maximum effectiveness.

5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures LIFTING ARRANGEMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the construction of rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus or the like it is frequently necessary to raise the rotor shaft relative to its support structure to relieve the load from the bearing so as to facilitate removal and replacement of the bearing on which it is supported.

Many types of jacking arrangements that perform this operation have been developed. These arrangements generally utilize conventional hydraulic or mechanical jacking forces that are operated either manually or electrically.

Such devices are large and heavy, usually quite complex and accordingly expensive. More importantly however, is the fact that they are cumbersome and difficult to satisfactorily use in the limited space thatis usually available for application. Morever, the weight to be raised is such that a single jack is insufficient and a multiplicity of jacks must be used to safely raise the necessary load.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a rotary regenerative heat exchanger or the like with support structure therefor having an integral jacking arrangement whereby the rotary shaft thereof may be raised from the lower part of a fixed bearing housing to relieve the load from the bearing in order that removal and replacement of the bearing may be facilitated.

The jacking arrangement comprises essentially a lifting yoke which fits into a recess formed in the lower half of the bearing housing. The recess accommodates both the lifting yoke and an inflatable elastomeric bladder which when inflated by pressure fluid from an outside source, expands to raise the yoke and horizontal rotor shaft of the rotor carried thereby.

When the jacking arrangement is not being used, the yoke is desinged to slide down the walls and rest on supports at the sides of the recess out of contact with the adjacent shaft or the inflatable bladder, whereby the bladder may then be freely removed from and re placed into the assembly or-installed similarly in a similar bearing means at a. different location.

During use the bladder acts only as an absolute seal against leakage of the hydraulic fluid being used, the actual lifting force being derived from the pistoncylinder effect of the yoke sliding within its recess in the support.

The use of an elastomeric bladder ofthe type defined herein is of necessity confined to apparatus requiring relatively short lifts, the limitations of which are dictated by the elongation characteristics of the elastomer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Further details of the invention are hereinafter described with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a rotary regenerative heat exchanger that utilizes jacking arrangement as defined in the present application;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation in section of the bearing housing having a built-in recess for an integral jacking arrangement;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the device as seen from line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, a rotary regenerative heat exchanger having a horizontal rotor post 10 mounted at opposite ends on bearing 13 and rotated about its axis by means such as a drive motor 16 is con nected through suitable reduction gearing to the rotor post. A mass of heat absorbent material 18 contained in each independent sector-shaped container or basket is adapted to absorb heat from the hot fluid and give it up to the cooler fluid that is directed therethrough.

The baskets are open at opposite ends to permit the flow of fluid therethrough and they are secured to the rotor post 10 to provide an integral rotor 26.

The rotor is surrounded by a rotor housing 28 having end plates 32 and 34 positioned at opposite ends of the rotor with openings 36, 42, 44 and 46 for the inlet and outlet of the heating fluid and the fluid to be heated.

Inasmuch as the rotor of a regenerative heat exchanger is chiefly a huge mass of metallic heat abosrbent plate the total weight thereof may exceeda'rnillion pounds, a load which exceeds the capacity of most independent jacks either mechanical and hydraulic. Moreover, both mechanical or hydraulic jacks of a portable type are heavy, cumbersome devices which are disposed properly only with great difficulty so that they may apply maximum jacking force at the proper location to satisfactorily raise the load.

Accordingly, the jacking device of this invention is integrated into the support structure for the air preheater. The jacking device essentially comprises a lifting yoke 46 which slidably fits into a recess SO in the lower half of the bearing housing 48 to accommodate the lifting yoke 46 in a cylinder-piston relationship. The lifting yoke is provided with a concave upper surface 52 that is adapted to receive the outer end of the horizontal rotor post 12. The recess is sized to accommodate an elastomeric bladder 54 with the top ofthe bladder resting against the bottom of a slidable pressure plate 56 which in turn is in contact with the bottom surface of the yoke. The yoke rests at its ends upon the sides of the bearing housing and is sized to position the arcuate surface thereofjust out of contact with the periphery of the rotor post 12 when the bladder 54 is deflated.

Moreover, the housing 48 is readily designed with a suitable removal door (not shown) at the end thereof to permit the bladder 54 to be removed from its recess 50 without damage to the bladder whereby it may readily be used in a multiplicity oflocations having similar applications.

During use of the apparatus the bladder 54 acts only as a positive seal against leakage of the hydraulic fluid therein, so there is no leakage and the entire quantity of fluid pumped into the bladder results in displace ment of the load. Because it is enclosed on all sides by the walls of the recess, hydraulic pressure within the flexible bladder 54 is always entirely backed-up by the walls of the metallic housing. Thus no fine tolerances between the movable parts must be maintained to contain the pressure fluid and minimize leakage. Moreover, the stretching of the elastomeric material of the bladder is sufficient to raise the yoke the distance required so that the concave surface thereof contacts and then lifts the rotor post 12.

The pressure fluid is circulated from a suitable source of supply 62'by a pump 64 through supply lines 66A and 66B to the bearing housings at opposite ends of the rotor. Valve means 68A and 688 control the flow of fluid to both jacking means whereby either one or both jacking means may be actuated in response to opening of the respective-valves 68A or 688.

While this invention has been shown and described as it relates to application'in conjunction with a rotary regenerative heat exchanger, it is obvious that it may be used with the other large, heavy rotary apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention. Moreover, other modifications and substitutions may be made within the intent of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof. It is therefore to be understood that the details of the jacking means are to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus having a horizontal rotor post, a mass of heat absorbent material carried concentrically around the rotor post to comprise an annular rotor, housing means surrounding the rotor having end plates with openings for a heating fluid and a fluid to be heated, bearing means supporting the rotor post for rotation about its axis, means for rotating the rotor about its axis to align the heat abosrbent material alternately with the heating fluid and the fluid to be heated, means for raising the rotor post from the bearing means comprising a yoke subjacent the rotor post, an elastomeric bladder expansible against said yoke, a source of hydraulic fluid, and means for inflating said elastomeric bladder with the hydraulic fluid to force the yoke against the rotor post to support the rotor post on said yoke independent from the bearing.

2. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a housing enclosing a recess for said elastomeric bladder, said yoke comprising a movable top wall for said recess wherein said wall is moved vertically in response to fluid supplied to said elastomeric bladder.

3. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 2 including a housing enclosing a recess therein formed with sides that comprise walls of a pressure chamber for said bladder, and a movable pressure plate in said recess intermediate the yoke and the bladder that moves in response to fluid supplied to said bladder.

4. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as devised in claim 1 including an abutment in said recess supporting ends of the yoke whereby the arcuate surface thereof is spaced from the rotor post when the elastomeric bladder is in a distended position.

5. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defmce in claim 1 including a housing enclosing a pressure chamber for said elastomeric bladder, and a pressure plate intermediate said bladder and said yoke slidably abutting sides of said chamber walls to provide a piston-cylinder relationship. 

2. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 1 including a housing enclosing a recess for said elastomeric bladder, said yoke comprising a movable top wall for said recess wherein said wall is moved vertically in response to fluid supplied to said elastomeric bladder.
 3. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defined in claim 2 including a housing enclosing a recess therein formed with sides that comprise walls of a pressure chamber for said bladder, and a movable pressure plate in said recess intermediate the yoke and the bladder that moves in response to fluid supplied to said bladder.
 4. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as devised in claim 1 including an abutment in said recess supporting ends of the yoke whereby the arcuate surface thereof is spaced from the rotor post when the elastomeric bladder is in a distended position.
 5. Rotary regenerative heat exchange apparatus as defince in claim 1 including a housing enclosing a pressure chamber for said elastomeric bladder, and a pressure plate intermediate said bladder and said yoke slidably abutting sides of said chamber walls to provide a piston-cylinder relationship. 